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Revelation 17:1-18 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And G2532 there came G2064 one G1520 of G1537 the seven G2033 angels G32 which G3588 had G2192 the seven G2033 vials, G5357 and G2532 talked G2980 with G3326 me, G1700 saying G3004 unto me, G3427 Come hither; G1204 I will shew G1166 unto thee G4671 the judgment G2917 of the great G3173 whore G4204 that sitteth G2521 upon G1909 many G4183 waters: G5204

2 With G3326 whom G3739 the kings G935 of the earth G1093 have committed fornication, G4203 and G2532 the inhabitants G2730 of the earth G1093 have been made drunk G3184 with G1537 the wine G3631 of her G846 fornication. G4202

3 So G2532 he carried G667 me G3165 away G667 in G1722 the spirit G4151 into G1519 the wilderness: G2048 and G2532 I saw G1492 a woman G1135 sit G2521 upon G1909 a scarlet coloured G2847 beast, G2342 full of G1073 names G3686 of blasphemy, G988 having G2192 seven G2033 heads G2776 and G2532 ten G1176 horns. G2768

4 And G2532 the woman G1135 was G2258 arrayed G4016 in purple G4209 and G2532 scarlet colour, G2847 and G2532 decked G5558 with gold G5557 and G2532 precious G5093 stones G3037 and G2532 pearls, G3135 having G2192 a golden G5552 cup G4221 in G1722 her G846 hand G5495 full of G1073 abominations G946 and G2532 filthiness G168 of her G846 fornication: G4202

5 And G2532 upon G1909 her G846 forehead G3359 was a name G3686 written, G1125 MYSTERY, G3466 BABYLON G897 THE GREAT, G3173 THE MOTHER G3384 OF HARLOTS G4204 AND G2532 ABOMINATIONS G946 OF THE EARTH. G1093

6 And G2532 I saw G1492 the woman G1135 drunken G3184 with G1537 the blood G129 of the saints, G40 and G2532 with G1537 the blood G129 of the martyrs G3144 of Jesus: G2424 and G2532 when I saw G1492 her, G846 I wondered G2296 with great G3173 admiration. G2295

7 And G2532 the angel G32 said G2036 unto me, G3427 Wherefore G1302 didst thou marvel? G2296 I G1473 will tell G2046 thee G4671 the mystery G3466 of the woman, G1135 and G2532 of the beast G2342 that carrieth G941 her, G846 which G3588 hath G2192 the seven G2033 heads G2776 and G2532 ten G1176 horns. G2768

8 The beast G2342 that G3739 thou sawest G1492 was, G2258 and G2532 is G2076 not; G3756 and G2532 shall G3195 ascend G305 out of G1537 the bottomless pit, G12 and G2532 go G5217 into G1519 perdition: G684 and G2532 they that dwell G2730 on G1909 the earth G1093 shall wonder, G2296 whose G3739 names G3686 were G1125 not G3756 written G1125 in G1909 the book G975 of life G2222 from G575 the foundation G2602 of the world, G2889 when they behold G991 the beast G2342 that was, G3748 G2258 and G2532 is G2076 not, G3756 and yet G2539 is. G2076

9 And here G5602 is the mind G3563 which G3588 hath G2192 wisdom. G4678 The seven G2033 heads G2776 are G1526 seven G2033 mountains, G3735 on G1909 which G846 the woman G1135 sitteth. G2521 G3699

10 And G2532 there are G1526 seven G2033 kings: G935 five G4002 are fallen, G4098 and G2532 one G1520 is, G2076 and the other G243 is G2064 not yet G3768 come; G2064 and G2532 when G3752 he cometh, G2064 he G846 must G1163 continue G3306 a short space. G3641

11 And G2532 the beast G2342 that G3739 was, G2258 and G2532 is G2076 not, G3756 even G2532 he G846 is G2076 the eighth, G3590 and G2532 is G2076 of G1537 the seven, G2033 and G2532 goeth G5217 into G1519 perdition. G684

12 And G2532 the ten G1176 horns G2768 which G3739 thou sawest G1492 are G1526 ten G1176 kings, G935 which G3748 have received G2983 no G3768 kingdom G932 as yet; G3768 but G235 receive G2983 power G1849 as G5613 kings G935 one G3391 hour G5610 with G3326 the beast. G2342

13 These G3778 have G2192 one G3391 mind, G1106 and G2532 shall give G1239 their G1438 power G1411 and G2532 strength G1849 unto the beast. G2342

14 These G3778 shall make war G4170 with G3326 the Lamb, G721 and G2532 the Lamb G721 shall overcome G3528 them: G846 for G3754 he is G2076 Lord G2962 of lords, G2962 and G2532 King G935 of kings: G935 and G2532 they that are with G3326 him G846 are called, G2822 and G2532 chosen, G1588 and G2532 faithful. G4103

15 And G2532 he saith G3004 unto me, G3427 The waters G5204 which G3739 thou sawest, G1492 where G3757 the whore G4204 sitteth, G2521 are G1526 peoples, G2992 and G2532 multitudes, G3793 and G2532 nations, G1484 and G2532 tongues. G1100

16 And G2532 the ten G1176 horns G2768 which G3739 thou sawest G1492 upon G1909 the beast, G2342 these G3778 shall hate G3404 the whore, G4204 and G2532 shall make G4160 her G846 desolate G2049 and G2532 naked, G1131 and G2532 shall eat G5315 her G846 flesh, G4561 and G2532 burn G2618 her G846 with G1722 fire. G4442

17 For G1063 God G2316 hath put G1325 in G1519 their G846 hearts G2588 to fulfil G4160 his G846 will, G1106 and G2532 to agree, G4160 G3391 G1106 and G2532 give G1325 their G846 kingdom G932 unto the beast, G2342 until G891 the words G4487 of God G2316 shall be fulfilled. G5055

18 And G2532 the woman G1135 which G3739 thou sawest G1492 is G2076 that great G3173 city, G4172 which G3588 reigneth G2192 G932 over G1909 the kings G935 of the earth. G1093

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Revelation 17

Commentary on Revelation 17 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 17

This chapter contains another representation of those things that had been revealed before concerning the wickedness and ruin of antichrist. This antichrist had been before represented as a beast, and is now described as a great whore. And here,

  • I. The apostle is invited to see this vile woman (v. 1, 2).
  • II. He tells us what an appearance she made (v. 3-6).
  • III. The mystery of it is explained to him (v. 7-12). And,
  • IV. Her ruin foretold (v. 13-18).

Rev 17:1-6

Here we have a new vision, not as to the matter of it, for that is contemporary with what came under the three last vials; but as to the manner of description, etc. Observe,

  • 1. The invitation given to the apostle to take a view of what was here to be represented: Come hither, and I will show thee the judgment of the great whore, etc., v. 1. This is a name of great infamy. A whore [in this passage] is one that is married, and has been false to her husband's bed, has forsaken the guide of her youth, and broken the covenant of God. She had been a prostitute to the kings of the earth, whom she had intoxicated with the wine of her fornication.
  • 2. The appearance she made: it was gay and gaudy, like such sort of creatures: She was arrayed in purple, and scarlet colour, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls, v. 4. Here were all the allurements of worldly honour and riches, pomp and pride, suited to sensual and worldly minds.
  • 3. Her principal seat and residence-upon the beast that had seven heads and ten horns; that is to say, Rome, the city on seven hills, infamous for idolatry, tyranny, and blasphemy.
  • 4. Her name, which was written on her forehead. It was the custom of impudent harlots to hang out signs, with their names, that all might know what they were. Now in this observe,
    • (1.) She is named from her place of residence-Babylon the great. But, that we might not take it for the old Babylon literally so called, we are told there is a mystery in the name; it is some other great city resembling the old Babylon.
    • (2.) She is named from her infamous way and practice; not only a harlot, but a mother of harlots, breeding up harlots, and nursing and training them up to idolatry, and all sorts of lewdness and wickedness-the parent and nurse of all false religion and filthy conversation.
  • 5. Her diet: she satiated herself with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus. She drank their blood with such greediness that she intoxicated herself with it; it was so pleasant to her that she could not tell when she had had enough of it: she was satiated, but never satisfied.

Rev 17:7-13

Here we have the mystery of this vision explained. The apostle wonders at the sight of this woman: the angel undertakes to open this vision to him, it being the key of the former visions; and he tells the apostle what was meant by the beast on which the woman sat; but it is so explained as still to need further explanation.

  • 1. This beast was, and is not, and yet is; that is, it was a seat of idolatry and persecution; and is not, that is, not in the ancient form, which was pagan; and yet it is, it is truly the seat of idolatry and tyranny, though of another sort and form. It ascends out of the bottomless pit (idolatry and cruelty are the issue and product of hell), and it shall return thither and go into perdition.
  • 2. This beast has seven heads, which have a double signification.
    • (1.) Seven mountains-the seven hills on which Rome stands; and
    • (2.) Seven kings-seven sorts of government. Rome was governed by kings, consuls, tribunes, decemviri, dictators, emperors who were pagan, and emperors who were Christian. Five of these were extinct when this prophecy was written; one was then in being, that is, the pagan emperor; and the other, that is, the Christian emperor, was yet to come, v. 10. This beast, the papacy, makes an eighth governor, and sets up idolatry again.
  • 3. This beast had ten horns; which are said to be ten kings which have as yet received no kingdoms; as yet, that is, as some, shall not rise up till the Roman empire be broken in pieces; or, as others, shall not rise up till near the end of antichrist's reign, and so shall reign but as it were one hour with her, but shall for that time be very unanimous and very zealous in that interest, and entirely devoted to it, divesting themselves of their prerogatives and revenues (things so dear to princes), out of an unaccountable fondness for the papacy.

Rev 17:14-18

Here we have some account of the downfall of Babylon, to be more fully described in the following chapter.

  • I. Here is a war begun between the beast and his followers, and the Lamb and his followers. The beast and his army, to an eye of sense, appear much stronger than the Lamb and his army: one would think an army with a lamb at the head of them could not stand before the great red dragon. But,
  • II. Here is a victory gained by the Lamb: The Lamb shall overcome. Christ must reign till all enemies be put under his feet; he will be sure to meet with many enemies, and much opposition, but he will also be sure to gain the victory.
  • III. Here is the ground or reason of the victory assigned; and this is taken,
    • 1. From the character of the Lamb: He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He has, both by nature and by office, supreme dominion and power over all things; all the powers of earth and hell are subject to his check and control.
    • 2. From the character of his followers: They are called, and chosen, and faithful. They are called out by commission to this warfare; they are chosen and fitted for it, and they will be faithful in it. Such an army, under such a commander, will at length carry all the world before them.
  • IV. The victory is justly aggrandized.
    • 1. By the vast multitude who paid obedience and subjection to the beast and to the whore. She sat upon (that is, presided over) many waters; and these waters were so many multitudes of people, and nations, of all languages; yea, she reigned not only over kingdoms, but over the kings, and they were her tributaries and vassals, v. 15, 18.
    • 2. By the powerful influence which God hereby showed he had over the minds of great men. Their hearts were in his hand, and he turned them as he pleased; for,
      • (1.) It was of God, and to fulfil his will, that these kings agreed to give their kingdom unto the beast; they were judicially blinded and hardened to do so. And,
      • (2.) It was of God that afterwards their hearts were turned against the whore, to hate her, and to make her desolate and naked, and to eat her flesh, and burn her with fire; they shall at length see their folly, and how they have been bewitched and enslaved by the papacy, and, out of a just resentment, shall not only fall off from Rome, but shall be made the instruments of God's providence in her destruction.